Dentist hands back NHS contract due to funding concerns

According to BBC News, since 2020, 25 contracts across Sussex have been handed back.

Sami, a dentist at S3 Dental in Haywards Heath, had held an NHS contract for 20 years. Speaking to the news outlet, he said he made the “tough decision” because "the scheme was underfunded, and it was a terrible contract".

He added, "Over the years, dentists have tried to make it work, but unfortunately, post-pandemic, it's just no longer feasible.”

A report from The Nuffield Trust think tank in 2023 concluded that “dentistry is at its most perilous point in its 75-year history”. Wilf Williams, the lead author, said, “This report illustrates that continued neglect of dental policy is not a viable strategy. The result is a widening gulf between the government’s stated aim that everyone who needs one should be able to access an NHS dentist and the dire reality of elusive and increasingly unaffordable care.